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The Emerging Science of Finding Critical Metals | Mfikeyi Makayi | TED

Your smartphone, computer and electric car all depend on one thing — critical minerals buried deep underground. But there’s a catch: the mining industry has gotten dramatically worse at discovering new deposits just when we need them most, says mining innovator Mfikeyi Makayi. She introduces new AI-powered technology that could fix this problem by predicting…

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Your smartphone, computer and electric car all depend on one thing — critical minerals buried deep underground. But there’s a catch: the mining industry has gotten dramatically worse at discovering new deposits just when we need them most, says mining innovator Mfikeyi Makayi. She introduces new AI-powered technology that could fix this problem by predicting mineral locations 10,000 times faster than conventional methods and transforming an industry essential to a sustainable future. (Recorded at TED Countdown Summit 2025 on June 18, 2025)

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17 Comments

17 Comments

  1. @AdvantestInc

    October 20, 2025 at 11:03 am

    Fascinating to see AI moving from data centers to the depths of the Earth. Predictive exploration like this could mark a turning point where tech directly supports environmental responsibility.

  2. @Jasonxbr

    October 20, 2025 at 11:06 am

    If AI is involved as well greedy corporations there will be exploitation and slavery involved, not including the destruction of the environment as well the pollution it leaves behind. 😢😢😢😢

  3. @ExistentialWolf

    October 20, 2025 at 11:17 am

    Okay. First the word problem. Pottery is a form of china. China just refers to dust or clay. Phonetically clay refers to adhesion. From clay you make pottery with the right dust it becomes ceramics when heat treated. The other dust makes the color like salts and metals. From there you make crystals, conductors and insulators of charge (which is the free energy we call power.) Once you have wire, now you need magnets. Magnets usually come from iron dust, but you may want something exotic to fit somewhere (small/between.)

  4. @AM-kf2zt

    October 20, 2025 at 12:47 pm

    AI has always been something sketchy, mostly because of how overhyped it was and of how many of its highlighted uses generally amounted to substituting human intelligence and skills. However, this and its use in early detection of cancer are one of the few times I’ve seen humanity take this new tool, something wondrous and not turn it into a complete joke.

  5. @BeBrillio

    October 20, 2025 at 1:18 pm

    We need 400+ new mines, yet the industry is 10x worse at finding deposits. The genius here is using AI to stop chasing one answer. Instead of ignoring the “infinite number of possibilities,” you drill where you’re most uncertain to eliminate possibilities. I’m applying this data-driven focus to the perfect storytelling videos launching soon on @BeBrillio. What decision in your life are you currently making by ignoring uncertainty?

  6. @HappySlappii

    October 20, 2025 at 4:01 pm

    Coming away from this. You would think mining is good for the environment. 😂

    • @EbenezarWikina

      October 21, 2025 at 7:02 am

      But it appears good for your iPhone apparently so that you can watch this and complain about mining 😏

  7. @BretFarris-q7l

    October 20, 2025 at 9:49 pm

    Belvarium’s whitepaper is 🔥 and the devs are clearly experienced 💻📄

  8. @BretMadison-j8f

    October 20, 2025 at 9:50 pm

    Not financial advice, but I’m quietly accumulating BLV before it wakes up.

  9. @VinnyBailliu

    October 20, 2025 at 9:53 pm

    Not financial advice, but I’m quietly accumulating BLV before it wakes up.

  10. @MissyBickel

    October 20, 2025 at 9:53 pm

    Belvarium’s whitepaper is 🔥 and the devs are clearly experienced 💻📄

  11. @ReparacionFuqua

    October 20, 2025 at 9:58 pm

    Not financial advice, but I’m quietly accumulating BLV before it wakes up.

  12. @dawner84

    October 20, 2025 at 10:13 pm

    Can artificial intelligence change the current situation where developed countries exploit poorer ones?
    It will only redistribute the already meager profits to Nvidia and other tech companies.

  13. @joyyyy777

    October 21, 2025 at 12:15 am

    Not financial advice, but I’m quietly accumulating BLV before it wakes up.

  14. @EbenezarWikina

    October 21, 2025 at 7:01 am

    Africans need to take hold of the mining industry on our continent. This is a very inspiring talk in just 8 minutes

  15. @lifemotivation6789

    October 21, 2025 at 7:39 am

    This is such a powerful perspective. 🌍 It’s easy to forget that everything around us — from our phones to our future technologies — begins with the earth itself. The call for innovation in mining isn’t just about resources; it’s about responsibility, sustainability, and the courage to look deeper, literally and figuratively. The future of a circular economy starts with smarter discovery.

  16. @SkillsetAcademy-825

    October 21, 2025 at 11:05 am

    I think we should be looking for better ways to stabilizes the earth than exploration for more resources from earth.

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Science & Technology

SpaceX’s S-1 Claims a TAM as Large as the Annual US GDP

The SpaceX S-1 dropped, and the $28 trillion TAM claim inside is somehow not even the wildest part. The Equity podcast team breaks down what’s in the filing, and whether any of this math connects to reality.

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The SpaceX S-1 dropped, and the $28 trillion TAM claim inside is somehow not even the wildest part.

The Equity podcast team breaks down what’s in the filing, and whether any of this math connects to reality.

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Science & Technology

SpaceX files to go public, and the math requires a little faith | Equity Podcast

The SpaceX S-1 is finally here, and the story it tells goes way further than rockets. The filing runs to 36 pages of risk factors alone, and the numbers inside match the ambition: a $28 trillion total addressable market, a pay package tied to establishing a Mars colony, and a valuation target that would make…

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The SpaceX S-1 is finally here, and the story it tells goes way further than rockets. The filing runs to 36 pages of risk factors alone, and the numbers inside match the ambition: a $28 trillion total addressable market, a pay package tied to establishing a Mars colony, and a valuation target that would make it the largest IPO in American history.

On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane dig into the week’s biggest talent shakeups, acquisitions, and headlines — including what the filing actually says and whether any of this math connects to reality.

Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

3:28 NanoCo raises $12M seed for secure OpenClaw alternative

9:46 Anthropic acquires Stainless and hires Andrej Karpathy

15:12 The consumer backlash against AI being pushed by big tech

16:37 Google Search as you know it is changing as AI takes over

22:14 SpaceX’s S-1 is here

27:54 Is the $1.75 trillion valuation justified?

32:47 Outro

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CNET

The iPhone 18 Twist That Might Upset Many | One More Thing

Not all versions of the iPhone 18 might launch in September. CNET’s Bridget Carey breaks down the latest rumors on the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro. You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below Apple iPhone 17, US Version, 256GB Apple iPhone 17 Pro, US Version, 256GB Apple iPhone 17 Pro…

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Not all versions of the iPhone 18 might launch in September. CNET’s Bridget Carey breaks down the latest rumors on the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro.

You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below
Apple iPhone 17, US Version, 256GB
Apple iPhone 17 Pro, US Version, 256GB
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max, US Version, 256GB
*CNET may get a commission on these offers

Read more about the iPhone 18 on CNET.com
iPhone 18: Everything We Know About Apple’s Most Ambitious Lineup Yet

0:00 September’s iPhone launch could look different
0:15 Apple is changing its launch schedule for iPhone 18
0:33 iPhone 18 might not come out until 2027
1:04 iPhone 18 upgrade cycle twist
1:08 New iPhone Pro color rumors
1:08 iPhone 18 Pro cherry color
1:19 New iPhone 18 colors
1:26 No iPhone 18 in Space Black?
1:38 iPhone 18 Pro rumors
1:45 Smaller dynamic island on iPhone 18 Pro
2:10 New iPhone 18 Pro cameras
2:26 Better OLED screen for iPhone 18 Pro
2:33 Apple A20 chip rumor
2:52 Apple’s biggest iPhone battery ever
3:08 iPhone Pro price rumors
3:39 RAM shortages and iPhones
3:43 Folding iPhone Ultra rumors
3:55 A longer wait for standard iPhone 18
4:05 iPhone 18 rumors
4:13 Dynamic Island on iPhone 18 base model
4:20 iPhone camera control button updates
4:35 Could the iPhone 18 launch next year?
4:56 More RAM in new iPhones
5:04 Is iPhone Air 2 on its way?
5:08 New iPhone Air rumors
5:25 When will we get all of the new iPhones?
5:48 iPhone 17 and 17 Pro Max are worldwide best-sellers

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#apple #iphone18 #iphone18pro #iphone18promax #iphone #applenews

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